


Melpomene's Daughters Need To Stick Together

by Not_You



Series: Monsters 'R' Us [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Hunters, Blood Drinking, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Hand Jobs, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Multi, Past Child Abuse, Sirens, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-31 09:12:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8572672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_You/pseuds/Not_You





	1. Chapter 1

The older the serpent, the stronger the venom, and Bucky just laughs at how embarrassed Steve is by his effect on the others, shifting him to cradle him even more comfortably. "I don't think they mind, honey," he says, and Steve chuckles, still the funny violet color of a blushing vampire.

"I suppose not," he says, "but it is more than a little awkward."

"Aw, boss, you're so old-fashioned," Bucky says, letting every bit of 1930s Brooklyn come back into his voice, and grinning at the way Steve goes a slightly deeper violet and cuddles even closer. Bucky is so glad to be with him again that his heart hurts, but it isn't the way of wolves to hang on to what is past. All the terrible abuse of the Red Room is still there, but aside from dreams that he has was never really rescued, Bucky is fine as long as he can stay with Steve. For now he settles on the couch in the living room. It's broad day, but the curtains are drawn in deference to Steve's presence, putting them in good enough shade. The kids are at school, so Bucky doesn't feel weird about pushing Steve's shirt up to rub his belly, warm and slightly rounded with feeding.

"I'll hit full size again soon," Steve murmurs, putting his dainty little hand over Bucky's. 

He chuckles, and licks Steve's cheek. "You know I like you like this, too," he says, and Steve squirms.

"I know," he whispers. He doesn't have enough blood in his body yet to waste any on getting hard, but Bucky can smell his desire. He slides his hand into Steve's boxers to grope his cock and balls, able to get the whole soft, small and cool package into one hand that feels like fever in comparison. Of course Bucky loves it when Steve can get hard and pound him senseless, but this is nice too, just cupping Steve in his palm and holding him as he writhes and pants. He doesn't need to breathe, but vampires tend to forget that when they're excited, even really old ones like Steve. It's pretty cute. Bucky tells him so, and bites onto his neck, making Steve tremble and whine. Bucky doesn't want to tire him out too much, and sucks on one finger until it's just slick enough to gently push into Steve, stroking his prostate to help him on his way to a quiet, shuddering orgasm that leaves him limp and helpless in Bucky's arms.

Steve may be a daywalker, but nighttime is the right time for every vampire, however reacclimated to day they may have become over the course of their unlife. Postprandial and post-coital, he dozes off immediately, and Bucky goes to stash him in the attic, since there's an extra bed there in the wake of Y'enjz's departure. A huge extra bed, and it still reeks of yeti. But yeti isn't a bad smell, and Bucky is more than glad to cuddle up with Steve while he naps. It's best to be able to pile up with the others, but Bucky has spent a lot of time wrapped around his master, the two of them sufficient unto themselves.

Bucky dozes off, and by the time one of the kids comes up to see if he wants dinner, Natasha has her mates taken care of and fully clothed again. He sees as much when he can finally bring himself not to carry Steve down with him. He's safe in the attic and definitely doesn't need to be disturbed, but it's still hard. Bucky ends up bringing his half-eaten plate upstairs with him, and after he finishes it, he snarls to hear footsteps on the stairs.

"Hey," Clint says, opening the trapdoor. "It's just me. Dirty dish collector."

"Sorry," Bucky mutters, nodding to toward the plate as he strokes Steve's hair.

"Nah, I understand. I wouldn't be able to let Tasha out of my sight if I'd been through half what you have." He looks past Bucky to Steve, and smiles. "He's a sweet guy, I'm glad you two have each other."

Bucky thanks him, and curls up with Steve again, waiting for sundown. It gets later each day as winter passes into spring, but at last the first stars are coming out, and Steve opens his eyes and gives Bucky a sweet, open smile that makes no attempt to hide his fangs. Bucky kisses him and then licks his cheek, torn between wolf and human urges, and Steve laughs. He's a little more filled out, now. Not any taller or broader, but just that tiny bit rounder that makes all the difference.

"I think I should take my pet wolf for a walk," Steve coos, and Bucky wriggles like a puppy. There are some nice woods behind the house. Not a real forest, but good to walk in, and soothing for a wolf. Steve is feeling well enough to use a dash of his powers to sneak into their actual bedroom without waking the others for real clothes, and while Bucky tiptoes outside, Steve’s feet never quite touch the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

Bucky hears it first, a high, searching song that seems to crawl down into his heart to make him howl along. He doesn't let go of Steve's hand, but he can't help the howl, high and quavering. Steve demands to know what he's hearing, and Bucky can barely gasp that it's singing before he howls again, full of a desperate ache to find the singer. He drags Steve with him, toward the road again, and he knows the moment it becomes audible to Steve because Steve gasps and his eyes go moon-bright, his grip tightening on Bucky's hand.

"Yeah," Bucky says, still full of longing but happier now. This could easily be some kind of trap, but neither of them seem to be able to think sensibly and slow down. Soon they're under the streetlights again, and terror finally cuts through this song-induced haze, because whatever the singer is, they're approaching the house now, and there is no sign that anyone is ready to meet an attack.

Getting closer, they can only see the one figure, stepping through the gate and into the front yard. A waft of female scent washes over Bucky, possibly the most intoxicating he has ever encountered. It's not human, but he doesn't know what it is. Something like a bird, something like the breeze off the ocean... enchantment and terror fill him in equal measure. He's a long-time servitor wolf, nothing should swamp him so easily, and yet this song is trying to pull his heart out of his body.

"Stay with me, Master," Bucky gasps, and Steve nods, squeezing his hand and using more of his own power, skimming along the sidewalk as fast as Bucky can run. The song stops, the scent only gets stronger.

As they approach the house, they can see little Rachel, the siren girl, climbing out of her window, her own scent covered by that glorious smell, like heat but nowhere near as directly inviting and somehow even more compelling. Bucky growls and races forward, determined to destroy this interloper if he has to. Beside him Steve is flaring with power he can't really afford to spend, but like hell either of them are going to let Rachel, who has already been through so much, be stolen away from what should be a place of safety.

Rachel yells for them to wait, and the singer turns toward them and opens her mouth again. This song brings them both to their knees, helpless and adoring as puppies, fighting the urge to crawl to her and kiss her feet. Bucky is hopeless, but Steve starts to pray and the fog clears just a little bit.

"It's okay!" Rachel calls, and drops the last five feet to the lawn. She's wearing pajamas buttoned all the way up, a small blanket wrapped around her shoulders even though it's a warm night. "She's like me, we need to talk!"

The woman has stopped singing, and Bucky is slowly gathering his wits. He stands, and pulls Steve up with him. "So you're a siren?"

"One of the last," she says, in a crisp British accent. "I've been looking for my little sister for some time. The first song was to find and communicate with her, and then I used a song of fascination on you two because I didn't relish fighting a vampire and his wolf."

"Thanks for letting up," Bucky growls, "but I can still smell you."

She blushes a little, and suddenly the scent is damped. "I lost control of it when I was concentrating on my singing, I'm sorry."

"That's all right," Steve says. "You can't help how God made you."

She smiles down at him, and the expression makes her even more beautiful. "Thank you, Stephanos," she says, and it's Steve's turn to blush, going a little violet over the cheekbones.

"Is everyone done flirting?" Tony calls, perched on the point of the roof.

Bucky rolls his eyes. "I think so. Are you why everyone is still asleep?"

"Her song would've given out after a bit because of the wards on the house," Tony says, hopping off the roof to float to the ground like a feather, "and I didn't see any reason to bother anyone. After all, this is a family matter. All sirens are sisters, if you ask them. I've always thought it was kind of sweet."

"And thank you, moonchild," she says.

Tony rolls his eyes. "Let's not get corny," he says, and leads the way into the house. Soon they're all sitting around the kitchen table with cups of coffee as Peggy introduces herself and explains her mission. In general, the few remaining full-blooded sirens do their best to find those human girls in whom the siren traits are most concentrated in order to teach them to control their powers.

"And of course," Peggy concludes, "some physical self-defense, because powers aren't everything."

"Powers suck," Rachel grumbles, and Peggy sighs.

"My dear sister, I promise they don't have to," she says, and Rachel sniffles, moving her chair closer enough to Peggy's for Peggy to put one arm around her.


	3. Chapter 3

Maria, in her infinite sagacity, wakes up at the feeling of Peggy's presence inside the house, and comes down to be introduced when everyone is on their second cup of coffee. She bows to Peggy when she sees her and greets her as a daughter of Melpomene, and soon the two of them are on their way up to the attic with Rachel, Peggy insisting that she doesn't want to impose, but forced to admit that she doesn't have a hotel room booked yet.

"Well, well, well," Tony says, breaking the silence after their departure. Steve glares at him, and he just laughs. "I may be lascivious, Phanny, but I am still a gentleman." He sighs. "And it would take something far worse than I not to be glad that Rachel has an elder sister now." All of them are quiet for a moment, and Tony takes that time to study Steve. "You're looking better," he says, and Steve chuckles.

"Thanks, Tony."

Tony takes a long pull of coffee with a quietly obscene noise of pleasure. "Think you could keep some fae blood down?" he asks, and Steve smiles.

"Tomorrow," he says. Fairies have some of the richest blood in all creation, and Steve would rather the kids weren't around to see him get completely drunk on it, which he will.

For now, everyone goes back to bed, and Steve spends the rest of the night petting and adoring Bucky, his precious only wolf. Everything about him is dear to Steve, and now dearer than ever with separation. Bucky doesn't want to sleep through any of it, but Steve loves lulling him down in his arms, watching all the ways his face changes. Sleep fascinates vampires, something most of them only dimly remember.

When sunrise comes, Steve lets his soul go, knowing that he can call it back again later. It's best to be dormant when the children are all running around to gather their school things, and it's nearly ten o'clock when Bucky shakes Steve back to awareness. There's always a little slap of energy as the soul hits the body again, and Steve springs up like a scalded cat. Bucky laughs, and gentles him for a minute.

"Take it easy," he croons, stroking Steve's hair, and Steve snorts.

"I'm fine. Better than fine."

"Yeah, but you're still a shrimp," Bucky says. "Lemme bring Tony in to give you breakfast."

"...I'd rather start with you," Steve says softly, and Bucky grins at him.

"Really?" If he had a tail in this form it would be wagging.

"Yes, you silly pup," Steve says. "You're always my favorite, you know that.'

Bucky whimpers happily, and gets himself comfortably settled, reclining on a pile of pillows with Steve in his lap. "Ready," he purrs, and Steve smiles, kissing him softly.

"My sweetest wine, my golden cup," he murmurs, and then sinks his fangs into Bucky's neck. 

Bucky's tolerance for his venom is down, and Steve does his best not to give him too much. He still moans and melts, helpless under Steve, but he'll come out of it in minutes, not hours. Steve's mind slides into his easily, and they share slow, blood-sweet thoughts for a small eternity. It's not as sexual as many of their feedings, and Steve is glad of it. He's always so embarrassed when they get loud in someone else's house. As it is, Bucky makes soft, quiet noises of contentment, and Steve does the same, savoring him for a long time before licking the wound to close it.

"Goddamn did I miss this," Bucky says, and Steve chuckles.

"Same to ya, fella."

Once Steve can bring himself to let go of Bucky, it's time to feed off of Tony. He's loitering in the hallway when Bucky gets up to look for him, and he has a truly lascivious look on his face. He comes prowling in like a tomcat, and Steve shakes his head.

"You are a menace to public morality, Tony," he says, and Tony grins.

"Aw, Phanny. That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me," he says, and levitates himself into the blanket nest with Steve. "You know I could make you guys a nice bed like I do for Bruce and me, just ask."

"Bucky likes nests," Steve says, and climbs into Tony's lap. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"At least a hundred years," Tony agrees, arranging Steve a little more comfortably and tipping his head to the side. "I like your venom, little serpent."

"Of course you do," Bucky says, sprawling out next to them. "Now start the show."

A small bag of fresh popcorn appears next to him, and he laughs, picking it up and eating a few pieces. Fairy food of course doesn't fill you up, but neither does popcorn, so there's probably no real difference. Steve smiles, and slides his fangs through Tony's skin. His fae blood is as rich as cream, and the complex and beautiful taste of it fills Steve's head like strong wine. Tony groans, hard under Steve, and Steve chuckles, because Tony is one of his and Bucky's favorite occasional bedmates. Perhaps after this they can take a moment to renew that bond.


	4. Chapter 4

Steve groans, very glad that he has two people to rub his bloated belly and make sympathetic noises. With two generous feedings from magical creatures so close together, he's completely stuffed, and can't do much more than lie here like a snake that swallowed a whole goat. Tony laughs at him constantly, of course, but as long as he keeps up the belly rubs, Steve can deal with it. His gut makes loud gurgling noises as it struggles to deal with so much food, desperately processing the stuff into power.

There's a light knock on the door. "Hello?" Peggy calls, and Steve nearly dies of embarrassment as his stomach lets out such a loud burbling noise that she must be able to hear it, even with the door shut.

"Hi!" Tony calls back. "We're busy looking after Phanny in here, but if you want to help, come in!"

Steve could kill him for that, because Peggy does. She shuts the door behind her, and smiles down at them, looking graceful and put together and perfect, while Steve is a gorged anaconda. He is definitely not fucking Tony now. Never again. Tony is dead to him.

"You poor thing," Peggy says, her eyes sparkling, and kneels next to Bucky. "May I?" she asks, reaching out with one graceful white hand. 

Steve has enough blood in him to blush, and does it now. He also nods, and does his best not to shiver when she touches him. There's a strange, sparkling coolness to her touch, and if it doesn't help the discomfort, it certainly distracts him from it. When she starts to softly sing, that takes him away from it completely. He feels at the edges of the magic, and once he's content that he could break out if he had to, he relaxes into this sea salt and smoke enchantment, much gentler than any account of siren delirium that Steve has ever heard.

By the time Steve comes back from Peggy's song, he feels much better. Of course, feeling better means that he has actually processed some of that fae blood, and is going straight through better and into drunk. There's a flush of warmth over his entire body, and he feels expansive and hopelessly silly. He groans and covers his face with both hands, rolling onto one side and muttering to himself in Greek.

"Is he all right?" Peggy asks, and Bucky laughs.

"He's just drunk on Tony's blood, he'll be fine."

"The fair folk always have the good shit," Tony agrees, and smiles down at Steve. "He's so cute like this."

"'m not cute," Steve grumbles. " _You're_ cute. So there."

"In another ten minutes he's gonna start singing _I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen_ ," Bucky says, and Steve is too glad to have him back even to properly hate him for it. The most he can manage is a disgruntled noise as he flops onto his back again and catches Bucky's hand, lacing their fingers together.

"Poor baby," Peggy coos, and leans down to press a kiss to Steve's belly that makes him giggle and uselessly kick one foot, because Tony's blood is climbing right on top of him, just like he knew it would. Peggy chuckles, and says something in that ringing seaside language that was old when Steve was young, rubbing a soothing circle on his skin. He feels better all over, and does his best not to shiver, filled with dismay as he realizes that now he has enough blood in him to get hard. At this point, he can only hope that he doesn't, melting into the blankets.

"It seems positively cruel to offer now," Peggy says, still rubbing, "but later, when you're able to feed again, would you like some of mine?"

Steve can't help a strangled squeak, but he nods. He thanks her in his prettiest and most heartfelt Old Ionic, and she smiles down at him. "So polite," she says, and stands up as gracefully as she does everything else. "For now, I'll let you rest. Tony, don't exhaust him."

"You wound me," Tony says, and flops down beside Steve to whine and moan about how no one loves him. Steve throws an arm and a leg over him, nuzzling one pointed ear.

"We love you, Tony," he says, in the sing-song voice of hopeless inebriation.

"And so does Bruce, you whiny bastard," Bucky adds, wrapping himself around Steve from the other side.

"It's true," Tony says, sounding more genuinely happy than Steve has ever heard him. "I have a Bruce."

"I thought Steve was the drunk one here," Bucky says, and Steve giggles.

"Not singing yet," he says, and Bucky grins, licking his cheek.

"I have faith in you."

Steve always does his best to live up to Bucky's trust in him, and that's probably a large part of why, after a few minutes of companionable silence, he starts to sing. Bucky laughs and groans and Tony sings backup, sounding as much like a '60s girl group as he can manage when Steve is wailing about Kathleen and the green fields, the dear home beyond the sea, and all the rest of it.


	5. Chapter 5

By noon, Steve has sobered up. He's incredibly tired, noon being a vampire's nadir, but he can feel that he's nearly up to full size again, and Bucky always worries less when Steve isn't so small. Another dose of powerful blood should do it, and so Steve sends Bucky to fetch Peggy. He feels very degenerate, just lying here in the blankets, but he really can't afford the effort involved in doing more.

"He's about to go dormant again," Bucky says, holding the door for Peggy, "but he's a game little thing, I'm sure he's still awake."

 _You bet your sweet ass I'm awake,_ Steve growls into Bucky's mind, and he laughs. Peggy just smiles, a vision of loveliness in the kind of old-fashioned house dress that makes Steve miss the 1930s, with all their faults.

"Ready?" Peggy murmurs, kneeling beside him. Her hair is loose, and it smells like the sea and like myrrh, and Steve can only imagine how she'll taste, fangs descending without any input from him.

"He was born ready," Bucky says, stretching out on Steve's other side. "Weren't you, tiger?" he coos, and Steve rolls his eyes.

Peggy lies down beside Steve and smiles at him, putting one hand on the back of his neck. She invites him to drink in Old Ionic, and Steve can't help a little whimpering noise as he latches onto her smooth, white neck. Steve is ancient enough to have tasted the blood of sirens before, but it's not anything a person can get used to. Peggy is sweet, with complex notes like aged wine and that mysterious, drugging myrrh. Steve is fascinated, and does his best to savor her and not just guzzle. Peggy gathers Steve into her arms and pulls him even closer, the softness of her breasts making him feel safe and combustible at the same time.

The mental contact is just as delectable, Peggy's mind like a salty-sweet and shoreless sea. She takes him in waves, sharing an eternal sense of wind-whipped sea foam and indescribable song. Behind Steve, Bucky is cursing quietly, clutching at Steve's hips. He sounds like he can barely breathe, and like that's the furthest thing from his mind. Steve can't help some loud, muffled noise when Bucky starts kissing the back of his neck. It's embarrassing as hell but he can't truthfully say he wants Bucky to stop, especially when Peggy slider her hand from Bucky's hand to his shoulder, an exploratory caress that ends up with her digging her nails into the exact spot Bucky likes to be bitten when Steve fucks him. Bucky whines and grinds against Steve, hard and so hot with blood. Steve shudders all over and melts between the pair of them, barely able to stay latched onto Peggy.

Knocking on the door dimly registers, and Steve struggles to remember what he's supposed to do about that. "Guys," Tony calls from the other side, "the taps are running an excellent red wine, and everyone is acting like someone gave them MDMA. You gonna be done any time soon, or should I just conjure up a huge bed and let them ride it out?"

Steve struggles to find his voice again, fangs reluctantly sliding out of Peggy's skin. He barely remembers to lick it to stop the bleeding and then gasps, "Not much longer," as Peggy smiles at him, kissing his forehead.

"So responsible," she purrs, her eyes a little feverish with venom.

"Always," Bucky manages to say, his voice the same lupine growl it is when he has to be human on a full-moon night.

"Cool, I'll go oversee the rave!" Tony chirps, and then bounds down the stairs yelling something about techno and Bruce needing extra hugs.

Peggy giggles, and the sound is just so perfectly charming that Steve has to bite her again. She lets out a little gasp as Steve's fangs pierce her again, and he can't help a quiet moan, drinking slowly, more controlled this time. Even with the sun so high he can feel all his strength returning, body filled with the faint, fizzing sensation of the very beginning of returning to full size. It's strange to feel like this when he's so close to dormancy, to say nothing of being latched onto Peggy still, sipping that sweet, strong blood. Even bloated with it, gorged to the edge of sickness, it's hard for Steve to pull out. Bucky hugs him tightly, well aware, and kisses his cheek.

"All right, boss," he murmurs aloud for Peggy's benefit, "I think it's time for a nap."

"Probably," he slurs, and Peggy giggles again, her eyes like stars.

"I should probably go make sure that Tony doesn't lead the mortals into mischief," she says, and Bucky snorts.

"Doll, you _are_ mischief," he says, and all three of them laugh, even if Steve's is quiet and very sleepy.

"Sweet little viper," Peggy coos, and kisses his forehead. He can't do much but give a happy little wriggle that is very much like a drunken snake. Bucky makes a soft sound of amusement, and wraps Steve up in the blanket as his soul slides out, leaving him dormant until sundown.


	6. Chapter 6

Steve wakes up at full size, and blinks down at himself. He guesses he shouldn't be surprised, since he could feel it coming on when he went dormant, but it's still strange. He's glad to see that Bucky must've hauled his clothes off before he tore them, and to see the sweet little wolfpup himself cuddled up against him. Bucky opens one changeable grey-green eye and smiles at Steve.

"Feeling better, boss?" he murmurs.

"You know it," Steve tells him, and tugs Bucky's body up and onto his because now he can take the weight. Bucky lets out a happy growl and just lets Steve move him, knowing how much he always enjoys having his strength back. Hauling Bucky's mass around is easy now, and Steve grins up at him. Bucky grins back, and then sighs softly, melting when Steve kisses him.

"I know I just gorged," Steve murmurs, "but..."

"Please," Bucky says, and then shudders and whines as Steve bites him, right on the servitor mark. The mesh between them has always been effortless, and now Steve sighs through his nose as he pulls in the sweet, rich taste of Bucky's blood. This has meant home for centuries, and there are tears on Steve's cheeks when he finally lets go.

"I know," Bucky murmurs, gently lapping them up and making Steve laugh. Bucky grins down at him and then grabs a wet wipe from a nearby package, wiping Steve's face and then drying it with a corner of the blanket. "Maria brought us the wipes. And some food for me."

Of course Bucky never left his side. Steve kisses him again, because there's no need to say anything. Really, it would be nice to just lie here with Bucky for a while longer, but he's too full of energy to enjoy it. He feels like running, and when he says so, Bucky grins from ear to ear, looking exactly like a wolf in human skin. Steve has never met a wolf that wouldn't run with a loved one when given the chance, and Steve wraps himself up in the sheet so that he's decent as he goes to ask Maria about some clothes in his current size.

Sunset is early enough this time of year that the kids are still up, and the ones whose turn it is tonight are gathered in the kitchen to help clean up after dinner. Maria is actually taking a moment to sit down and have a cup of coffee, since Natasha, Phil, and Clint are more than enough to keep order.

There's a plate in the oven for Bucky because Maria is wonderful, and while he eats Steve answers the children's questions about how come he's so big now. Rachel hangs back, and Steve has to assume he's more threatening this way. He just smiles at her and doesn't press, while Bucky devours his food and Tony teases Steve about reverting to old habits.

In the middle of Steve's explanation of the difference between a toga, a chiton, and the sort of almost-sari his sheet is currently forming, Peggy comes in from the front yard, lightly scented with cigarette smoke. A lot of immortals picked up the habit in the twenties, and since it can't hurt them, legislative inconvenience is their only real incentive to quit. The smell makes Steve nostalgic, and her smile makes him weak in the knees.

"Feeling better, I see," she says, looking him up and down, and he does his best not to blush.

"I am," he says. "Thanks."

"You're more than welcome, little serpent," she tells him, and Steve can feel that he is blushing, full of more than enough blood to manage it. And other things, and he's very glad that the sheet should provide full coverage in case of accident. "Rachel, darling," Peggy says, "join me out back?"

Rachel smiles shyly and nods, her own natural magic ringing through the kitchen and making her little face glow like a pearl. Steve can feel that tidal pull, and is disgusted all over again to think that men can be as wicked and weak as Rachel's stepfather. She's so young that the impulse is to protect and worship. Even infant sirens have powers, but they're only erotic to complete scum. Rachel scampers outside with Peggy, and Steve sends up a silent prayer that they can keep her safe and help her heal.

Once Maria finishes her coffee, she calls Thor and Loki in from the front yard, where Loki has been tasting the wind and Thor has been scrounging for berries, which he seems to like just as well in human form. He offers a handful of raspberries to Bucky, who is glad to take them, eating them with the last of his bacon. He gives Steve an anxious look as he moves toward the stairs with Loki and Thor, to see what clothing they have for him to borrow, being some of the only inmates of the house who are big enough.

"You stay and finish your food, wolfpup," he tells Bucky, and kisses the top of his head. Bucky sighs, but obeys.

Upstairs, Loki has a bag very neatly enchanted to hold more than it should, and he smiles in a sweet, warm way that Steve hasn't seen before when he admires its elegance aloud. Thor has a battered cardboard box, and between the two of them Steve finds a t-shirt and jeans that fit all right. The t-shirt has what Thor assures him is a very inappropriate slogan, but it fits well and none of the children read Aesir.


	7. Chapter 7

Dressed and at full power, Steve can finally take his wolf for a run. There's a massive stash of tennis shoes, since children always need them for activities, and a few pairs are big enough for Steve and Bucky, since some children are enormous seventeen-year-olds. Outside, the air is perfumed with the fecund rot of autumn, and with the unbearable sweetness of sirens. Bucky shivers, and gives Steve a silly, canine grin. He chuckles, and ruffles Bucky's hair.

"I know, boy, I know," he says, and then starts running. They meet Bruce a block from the house, and he trades his ambling, aimless walk for happy lupine running. Steve really does love the company of wolves, especially at times like this, and it's heartbreaking to smell Bruce's joy in being with them. 

They run for a long time, but when they circle back to Maria's house at last, Peggy and Rachel are still hard at work. Rachel struggles with Peggy and then they still, Peggy's practice knife at her throat. "Very good!" she says, and Rachel beams. Steve applauds and Rachel jumps, and then giggles, taking a deep bow before offering the knife back to Peggy.

"We can work on grappling when you're rested," she says, and Rachel looks relieved and disappointed at the same time.

"I'm not that tired," she says quietly, and Peggy studies her for a long moment.

"Tell you what," she says at last, "why don't we get in some metaphysical work?' The terror that flashes over Rachel's face breaks Steve's heart. "No calling," Peggy assures her, "the slumberous kind."

The siren's call is their strongest and most essential magic, working automatically. There, the skill is learning not to do it, and how to modulate it. Singing people to sleep is trickier, but also much more maternal than erotic in its magical resonances. It's also time for baseline humans to be sleeping anyway. Phil, Clint, and Maria all gather on the couch with reassuring smiles for Rachel, who smiles back. Steve sits on one of the low windowsills to watch the lesson, a few of the kids doing the same, others in their rooms.

"If you start feeling wobbly," Peggy tells the room, "sit down before you fall asleep on your feet. You might be resistant, but if you're not it's an excellent way to brain yourself."

Steve is pleased to see that everyone has the sense to sit down. Rachel stands by Peggy, looking self-conscious but also excited for this chance to safely work on her powers. Peggy smiles at her, and takes her little hand, her blue nail polish bright against both their pale skin. Steve remembers the days when a color like that had to be made of ground lapis lazuli, and feels a weird little frisson because Peggy remembers, too. It's always strange not to be the oldest person in the room.

Peggy takes a deep breath, and then begins to sing. The lyrics are in the old tongue, of course, but Steve knows the song. It's a sweet lullaby, all about the ancient bond between sirens and the sea. It sweeps through the room, an almost touchable melody. Phil is nodding already, the whites of his eyes flashing as he forces them open wide. Peggy has told her subjects to try to stay awake, and all three of them put up a good struggle, but within two minutes they're all out, and most of the kids are barely awake. 

Bucky has been crouched at Steve's feet this whole time, and he yawns and wobbles a little, nuzzling his face into the outside of Steve's thigh the way he does. Steve is touched by the gesture every time, and now he smiles, stroking Bucky's hair as Peggy changes her song to a bright, chirpy melody has has people sitting up and opening their eyes all over the room. Even Tony looks a bit dazed, and the fae are very hard to charm. Bruce never closed his eyes, but he blinks and seems to wake up anyway, lifting his head off of Tony's shoulder and blushing a little.

"Now that you've heard it, give it a try," Peggy says to Rachel, once she's sure everyone is awake enough to be worthy practice, even if they are still yawning.

Like most siren-blooded girls, Rachel doesn't know the old language. The words have some power, but what really matters is the song. She draws herself up, closes her eyes, and starts to sing Hush Little Baby. Despite her best efforts to compose herself and focus on her task, she still looks self-conscious, and Steve's heart goes out to her. For the first verse, it just feels like a very gifted but entirely human girl is singing a lullaby. On the second, things start to change. That high, birdlike self-harmony sets in, and a little of that sound like waves on the shore. Phil blinks very slowly, and Clint has already started to nod by the time Rachel gets to the looking glass. By the time she's making up her own lyrics, having run through the ones everyone knows, most of the room is fighting sleep. Tony looks wide awake, of course, but Bruce is leaning on him again, loosely gripping a handful of his shirt. He beams at Rachel, and she smiles back.


End file.
